


In The Background

by respoftw



Series: Tumblr Prompts - Hawksilver edition [37]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Deaf Clint Barton, Flirting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-20
Updated: 2015-06-20
Packaged: 2018-04-05 08:23:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4172730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/respoftw/pseuds/respoftw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everything about the kid screams wannabe actor who thinks that working as a support artist will be his big break.  Clint, who's here for the free lunch and 75 bucks a day during the off season at the farm, has very little patience for these types so he's fully prepared for the day from hell.</p><p>The one in which Clint and Pietro are extras in a movie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In The Background

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RedLlamas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedLlamas/gifts).



> Based on the following prompt:  
> askvalery-tetu said:  
> Ey yo man! I gots a prompt for you! Okay, so they're the extras in a restaurant/diner scene in a movie, and they're supposed to be fake-dating but then they're actually getting along so they have to cut because some extras can't be the ones looking like they're falling in love instead of the actual actors c:
> 
> It's not quite what the prompter asked for but I hope you still like it!

Clint actually has to hold in a curse as he sees the extra, sorry, “supporting artist” they've sat next to him. White hair with dark roots (obviously trying way too hard to be 'edgy'), designer stubble and muscles that the crisp white shirt and sports coat are struggling to contain. Everything about the kid screams wannabe actor who thinks that working as a support artist will be his big break. Clint, who's here for the free lunch and 75 bucks a day during the off season at the farm, has very little patience for these types so he's fully prepared for the day from hell. _As if restaurant scenes weren't hellish enough._

 

He and his new dining partner are seated pretty close to the main action, close enough that they'll probably even end up getting some screen time, in the wide shots at least. It's something he'd normally get a kick out of, if only because it makes his niece and nephews happy when they can spot him on film, but seeing as it means that he and Trendy McWannabe are going to have to fake getting along for the entire day he can't help but wonder just how many bridges he'd be burning if he were to bow out at the last minute.

 

“Has anyone ever told you you have, eh, resting bitch face?” The amused, Eastern European accent startles him from his musings. _Huh, wannabe has a bit of a spunk._

 

“Has anyone ever told _you_ that your hair is ridiculous?” he snaps back. The kid surprises him by throwing his head back and roaring with laughter.

 

“Believe me, I know!” he groans. “I lost a bet with my sister so I have to live with this for the rest of the month. She's just lucky that I'm handsome enough to pull it off.” A waggle of the eyebrows and a wry grin keep the kid from crossing the line from cheekily cocky to annoyingly arrogant and Clint has to try very hard not to agree out loud. Because, on second look, yeah, the kid does pull it off. “So”, he continues, “I've never done this before. My sister, Wanda – the one who..” he gestures at his hair, “is a make-up artist and I don't think she trusts me alone in her apartment so apparently I have to do this instead.” He looks hopelessly around him and turns pleading eyes on to Clint. “What exactly am I supposed to do?”

 

Clint has to bite his cheek to keep from laughing at just how wrong he'd pegged this kid. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all?

 

“It's pretty simple. That guy over there is gonna call 'Action' and we just have to pretend that we're eating a meal together. Just keep your movements small and basic, and we pretend to chat.”

 

“That sounds boring.”

 

“Well, yeah. But we get free food?”

 

Visibly more perky at the thought of free food the kid straightens up. “Ok, so..are we dating? Do we work together? Or maybe you're my Father?”

 

“HEY! I am in no way old enough to be your Dad!” Clint humphs. _Really?_ _He went there?_ “We're on a date.”

 

The kid seems to accept that easily enough, oblivious to the fact that Clint is quietly freaking out right now. He has _never_ bothered coming up with any kind of motivation or back story for his “character” and suddenly he's jumping to 'gay couple'? This is a Disney movie for chrissakes!

 

“Alright old man. So, who asked who out?”

 

He really should snap that it doesn't matter, that they're here to do a job and no-one gives a damn about them as anything other than set dressing but his ~~heart~~ mouth isn't listening. “You did.” _What?_ “I played hard to get.” _Seriously, what?_

 

“Of course you did!” the kid cackles.

 

“But then I said that the only way I would ever go out with you is if you'd dye your hair white. Obviously thinking that no-one would ever do anything that stupid but...here we are.” _Good God, was he flirting?_ Yep. Clint's pretty sure that he's actually flirting with this kid who..ok, maybe, is possibly young enough to be his son. _If_ he had been a very youthful Dad.

 

Any answer is interrupted by the Assistant Director calling for quiet on the set and with one last panicked gulp from his dining partner they're rolling.

 

Clint probably should have mentioned to his “date” that he could lip read. Except, then he might have been deprived of the joy of realising that the giant dork was mouthing the opening crawl to Star Wars.

 

He'd barely gotten to “DEATH STAR” before the Director yelled cut for some reason or other and the hum of background noise started up again.

 

The kid curses in his native language as he runs his hands through his hair. “My mind went completely blank! And I suddenly got really itchy everywhere! Was that, was I OK?”

 

“Well, I dunno. Personally, I'm more of a Star Trek guy so...” The kid looks mortified and Clint can't help but feel a little guilty.

 

“...You can lip read?”

 

“Uh, yeah. I have an implant now but I grew up completely deaf. You kind of never lose the skill. Sorry for not telling you.”

 

“What? No! It's awesome! Today was going to be so dull but now we can make a game of it. I will speak from some TV show or movie and every time they call Cut, you have to guess!” It would take a harder person than Clint to say no to those puppy dog eyes so that's how the spend the day.

 

With this ridiculous kid, with his stupid hair and distracting muscles just charming the ~~metaphorical~~ pants off him, while he can't do anything but smile fondly at him. Which is perfectly acceptable seeing as they _are_ on a fake date.

 

It's all going well, at least until round twenty-four when Clint realises that his date is currently mouthing the words to 'Call Me Maybe' as seriously as if they were a Shakespearean sonnet and he does the most unprofessional thing he's ever done in four years of support artistry and ruins a take by laughing so hard that he falls out his chair.

 

They have guards escort them off set but as they're manhandled out the studio, Clint can't help but reflect that this might be the most fun he's had on this job ever.

 

Before a pretty, dark-haired girl, who Clint fervently hopes is his sister, pulls the kid away he breaks free and passes Clint a crumpled up napkin. “I'm Pietro. Call me maybe?”

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](http://pietrolovesclint.tumblr.com)


End file.
